


Facing Your Problems

by amethystwitch



Series: Off York [1]
Category: Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: Dr. Connors just wants to be a normal dude who does not turn into a lizard, Emotional Manipulation, Not Canon Compliant, harry is a cunt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-13
Updated: 2019-12-13
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:33:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21779893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amethystwitch/pseuds/amethystwitch
Summary: After the Green Goblin is taken down and put in prison, Harry is left alone to clean up his father's mess and cope with everything that happened. His therapist, Dr. Curt Connors, has helped him make great progress so far, but when Harry feels well enough to begin picking up the pieces of his father's company, he discovers that the world is a small place and that Connors may have gotten tangled in Oscorp's secretive experiments in the past...Not at all compliant with any Spider-Man canon, just the fabrication of my imagination.
Series: Off York [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1566013
Comments: 1
Kudos: 5





	Facing Your Problems

Dr. Connors fiddled with his pen in his left hand. “Harry, I want to know why you’re asking me this.”

“What, I can’t be curious?” His patient crossed his arms with a huff before settling back down into the couch. “I’ve been looking through all of this Oscorp stuff since Dad’s in jail, and I happen to find a redacted file on experimental medicine with the name C. Connors being written all over it.”

Connors sighed, “Then don’t you already know…?”

“No, I don’t. It’s all black boxes; I don’t even know what the affliction was or how you were involved.”

Connors relaxed slightly, thankful that his situation hadn’t been compromised. “I suppose that would leave you curious, since I do have some history with your father’s company. If it will make you feel better, it’s nothing too serious. I am going to take a guess that Oscorp wanted to hide a few ethical boundaries that they had crossed.” The doctor took notice of Harry’s eyes light up with piqued interest. _“Nothing happened._ It was just a failed attempt to grow a lost limb. As you can see…” He motioned to his right sleeve that was tied into a knot, “…it didn’t work.”

Harry was quiet for a moment and Connors worried that his patient didn’t buy it, but he only shook his head. “That’s it? Why didn’t they disclose the information; a failed experiment is just as valuable as a success.”

“Dubious consent. I wasn’t told they were sequencing my samples with lizard DNA.” Connors inwardly winced at the confession.

Harry rolled his eyes. “Why the hell did Norman have to be so… ugh.” He shook his head and sat up straighter than he was before. “You’re going to tell me that this is about me and my issues now, aren’t you.” His tone was flat, and he put a hand on his forehead.

“You think you might be getting distracted, but all of this is tied to your trauma, Harry. Talking about these things is why I’m here, but if you’d like to move on to something else, we can certainly do that too.” When Harry nodded, Connors turned a page in his notebook and clicked his pen. “So, when was the last time the Goblin visited?”

* * *

Connors knew he probably shouldn’t have taken Harry on as his patient when he read his last name on the list of applicants, but he was also convinced that his case was only dissociative identity disorder comorbid with depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress, and not the long-term result of a bizarre serum that quite literally turned his patient into a goblin. However, when Harry revealed that during the Green Goblin’s reign over New York City, he injected himself with the serum under pressure from his father, Connors was intrigued, and thankful that he had taken the case. Any other psychiatrist may have thought that the goblin persona was a personality disorder, but how Harry described the physical changes he underwent when the Goblin took over… it was too similar to the doctor’s own condition that he was thrilled to have a subject to study, since he was unable to study himself.

Despite his earlier feelings, however, after his last visit, Connors was beginning to regret the decision once more. Harry had made wonderful progress in the last few months, and he was proud of him, but now that he was feeling ambitious enough to tie up the many loose ends his father left him, Harry was dangerously close to piecing together things that Connors did not want him to know. Not only that, but for the first time, the Lizard had made an appearance during the appointment. Harry didn’t seem to notice, but Connors felt his pupil’s narrow when he brought up the redacted documents. It didn’t last long, but the doctor was worried for his patient’s safety if the Lizard were to ever stop by for a visit.

Meanwhile, Harry was pleased with even the slightest hints that the psychiatrist gave him. He didn’t know at the time that his therapist was once tangled in Oscorp affairs, but when he found his name on a redacted file, he needed to learn more. There had been a time when he was innocent, when all he knew about Oscorp was that it was his dad’s company and the source of their more-than-modest income, but when Norman became the Green Goblin and took over NYC, he had begun to wonder what exactly Oscorp did. He wasn’t surprised to learn later on that Oscorp was responsible for a large handful of medical mishaps that were more accurately labeled as human experimentation. After all, his father hadn’t simply donned a mask and costume; what ever was in the serum he was injecting into himself physically altered his mind and body. There was no way that Norman just had that laying around. He developed it himself, perfected after numerous trials and errors that nobody would have to know about.

Norman Osborn was thrown into the Raft by Spider-Man, but Harry wasn’t satisfied after learning of the many accidents and failures that Oscorp tried to hide. He was determined to expose him, not just to find justice for the people his father hurt, but also for himself… But first he needed allies and Dr. Connors may just be his first of many. He mentioned lizard DNA, and guessing from the year on the files, Harry had an idea of what may have happened to the man. The only confirmation he needed came from a quick search through the Daily Bugle archives….

The next week, Harry was feeling confident when he strolled into Dr. Connor’s office. “Good afternoon, doctor.”

“Good afternoon, Harry. How are you feeling today?”

“Today has been one of the better ones, actually,” Harry fell into the couch and crossed one leg over his thigh. “A better week, if I’m being honest.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” Connors took his seat in the chair across from his patient. “What do you think made the difference?”

“Hmm…” Harry put his finger tips together. He was feeling a bit theatrical today. “I’ve been… redirecting the Goblin’s energy. Staying busy. Keeping him distracted.”

“That’s wonderful news, Harry. You’ve made great progress in the past few months.” Connors opened his notebook and clicked his pen open, “So what is it that keeps the Goblin from doing anything dangerous? Have you been…”

“Going outside? Yes, it’s rather refreshing, especially since I moved away from Manhattan. But that’s just one part of it.”

If Dr. Connors was being honest with himself, he was slightly skeptical of Harry’s behavior. He wasn’t quite authentic; his words, posture, even the consistent eye contact seemed to be scripted. Connor’s wasn’t about to tell him, however. Perhaps if he could break it gently… “What else have you been doing, then? Have you found a hobby?”

Harry’s hand went to his chin, “No, not quite. Like I said, I’ve just been staying busy. Cleaning up Oscorp and all of that.” He made a dismissive wave towards nothing in particular. His demeanor was definitely different from his last visit.

“And that hasn’t been stressful? I’m surprised that taking on quite the challenge as running a company would turn out to be therapeutic.”

“Yes, therapeutic… That’s the word.” Harry stood up from the couch and walked around the office. Connors kept his eyes on him. “You see, it was stressful at first, but then I started finding answers. Things my father kept hidden from me, despite his claims that I’d need to know everything about Oscorp if I were going to keep it running someday.”

Connors could turn this around. “So, learning about your father’s past has helped you put things into perspective? Are you starting to accept that all of the things he has even said or done to hurt you haven’t been your fault?” Harry’s pacing was beginning to make him nervous.

“Mmhm… is that how you recovered too, doctor? Did you also blame all the damage you caused on my father?”

The doctor clenched his pen; what had Harry been digging into? “Harry, can you take a seat for me?”

“No,” He spun on his heel before beelining right up to Connor’s chair, “I want answers from you, Curt. Is this how you’ve moved on from the accident? Telling yourself that whatever you did those few years ago was not your burden to bear, but Norman’s?” He leaned into the doctor’s space, both hands clawing into each arm rest, trapping the man in the chair.

“Harry…” Connors closed his eyes and took a breath. He wasn’t sure why his patient was edging him on like this, but he refused to be intimidated. “You’re intruding on my space. Please sit back down, on the couch or on the floor; whatever makes you comfortable.” He didn’t open his eyes until he heard Harry shift his weight away from him.

“Alright… I will.” He stood up straighter and took his hands away from the chair, giving the doctor a false sense of calm moments before he crossed the line. He put a hand on his right shoulder. “Sorry for freaking you out like that.” He gave it a squeeze before letting go, pushing himself away so he could fall into the couch.

Connor’s hand went to the spot Harry had touched as soon as his hand was off of it. He exhaled through his nose and kept his hand on his shoulder as he tried to even his voice. “I understand that you are my patient, Harry, and that you may be feeling some intense anxiety. However, _please_ do not touch me.” He locked eyes with Harry, trying to reclaim the situation. He didn’t like how his patient was staring him down, like he was watching him. Waiting for something to happen. Neither of them said anything for a moment, but Connors decided the moment was over and it was time to change the subject. He dropped his hand and rested it on the notebook, trying to regain some composure. “Your body language suggests that you are quite antsy today, Harry.”

“That’s all?” Harry crossed his arms over his chest and cocked his head slightly, interrogating the doctor. “My body language? Nothing about my wild accusations alarmed you, just my body language?” He raised an eyebrow at him, but Connors gaze was steady.

“The pacing and gestures cued me in before you brought up any of that.”

“Any of what?” Harry leaned forward, putting his elbows on his knees and resting his chin on one hand. “Anything about the accident…? Anything about…”

_“Don’t say it.”_

Harry’s smile crept onto his cheeks, growing wider. He had Dr. Connors right where he needed him. “Hmm…” He leaned back and let his shoulders relax, mimicking the doctor’s posture. “Are you sure you don’t want to talk about it, Curt? Ignoring your trauma won’t make it go away,” he teased.

Dr. Connors had closed his eyes again when Harry dared to bring up his condition, and he kept them shut as he confronted him a second time. “Harry…” His voice came out softer than he wanted it to. “…Even though this is a space where you should be comfortable disclosing anything that troubles you, you are not entitled to harass me like this. I can end this session any time I feel that you need to leave, and I will not hesitate to refuse my service if you do not stop this right now.”

Harry raised an eyebrow. “Judging from the way you’re reacting, doctor, I’m beginning to wonder…” He stood up again and circled around the seating area until he was right behind the doctor. “…Are you partly responsible for all those files being redacted? Did you want the world to forget what happened when you couldn’t?”

Dr. Connors stood up, but he didn’t turn to face his patient. His hand went to his shoulder and he still kept his eyes tightly shut. “Harry… you need to go…” His voice was trembling, and his fingers dug into his skin when Harry continued speaking.

“You’re always telling me that I need to work through my trauma, that I need to face it instead of trying to pretend it never happened. But have you done that yourself, Curt? Or have you tried to erase any evidence of your condition so you could go on living as if it never happened? Tell me, how has that been working out for you? Was it fine? Did it work until I dug up some old files that were poorly encrypted? Tell me, how has that been working for you?” Harry crept closer and closer to the doctor, who was holding himself, curling inwards, until the doctor surprised him with a quick turnaround.

_“Ssssstop it!”_ Connor’s voice came out as a sharp hiss and he opened his eyes to meet Harry’s with tall narrow pupils. He only glared for a second, however, when the transformation brought him to his knees. Harry took a step away from the man, and for a second, he was overwhelmed by what he was seeing. He watched dark scales erupt from his skin and claws extend from his fingertips. Connors wailed in pain as his right arm grew back in a matter of seconds, tearing through the tied sleeve of his shirt. Harry had to create more distance between himself and Connors, watching his form change and grow into a monstrous creature. Connor’s cries began to sound less and less human until they stopped entirely. Harry didn’t know when he had looked away, but the sudden silence dared him to take a peek. Dr. Connors was gone and in his place was a lizard, identical to the normal variety, but ten times the size.

When he got over the shock of the transformation, Harry began to laugh. “You know, I couldn’t find any pictures of the night Spider-Man took you out, but I had always imagined you’d be a bipedal lizard monster, and not an actual fucking lizard!” He combed a hand through his hair. “I don’t suppose you’re intelligent, are you?” The Lizard blinked. “I’ll take that as a no…” He sighed, “I was expecting something else, but y’know what? This’ll have to do. You can cause quite a catastrophe, Connors, and I suppose that’s all I need after all.” He approached the Lizard casually and bent down to meet him face-to-face, resting a hand on his scaly head. “You aren’t the only Oscorp manufactured mess, anyways. Just promise me you’ll lend a hand when I need it, alright?” He gave the creature a pat before he stood up and opened the door. The Lizard skittered away, knocking over a lamp and a few other things on his way out. _Yeah, this’ll do just fine,_ Harry thought to himself. _Now I have to find out who M. Dillon is…_


End file.
